Vera Farmiga and Jon Bernthal join ‘Sopranos’ prequel

Vera Farmiga and Jon Bernthal are in final negotiations for New Line’s “The Sopranos” prequel feature “The Many Saints of Newark,” which is the working title. They join Alessandro Nivola in the ensemble drama.

Farmiga and Bernthal’s characters aren’t being disclosed. Some of the beloved characters from the Emmy-winning HBO series are expected to also appear in the film. The series is celebrating its 20th anniversary and Deadline has had a number of exclusive interviews recently with series creator David Chase and the cast. He is writing and producing the New Line movie.

The prequel to “The Sopranos” set in the era of the Newark riots in the 60s, when the African-Americans and the Italians of Newark are squaring off, and when among the gangsters of each group, it became especially lethal.

Alan Taylor, who helmed several “Sopranos” episodes, is directing the prequel. He won an Emmy in 2007 for outstanding directing on the show for the episode “Kennedy and Heidi”. Former “Sopranos” vet Lawrence Konner is also producing and writing. Nicole Lambert (Chase Films) and Marcus Viscidi are EPs.